Zootaxa 4816 (1): 123–128 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4816.1.9 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:925245B2-44CB-45DB-8174-AEBD14353F8E Studies on the genus Mesandrothrips from China, with a new species (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripinae: Haplothripini) LI-HONG DANG1, LIN-PENG ZHAO2, DAN-LE XIE1, LE ZHAO1 & GE-XIA QIAO3,4* 1School of Bioscience and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723000, P.R. China LI-HONG DANG: [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7571-8426 DAN-LE XIE: [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5573-6822 LE ZHAO: [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0505-9936 2Shaanxi Changqing National Nature Reserve, Changqing Jiayuan, No.176 Dongyi Huan Road, Hanzhong, Shaanxi 723000, P.R. China [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5573-6822 3Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, P.R. China 4College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, P.R. China. *Corresponding author: [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7300-6812 Abstract In the recently re-instated genus Mesandrothrips Priesner, four species are recognized from China, and an illustrated key is provided here. This includes one new species, M. acutisetis sp.n., together with the first record of M. subterraneus from China. Key words: Mesandrothrips acutisetis, illustrated key, thrips, taxonomy Introduction The Phlaeothripidae belonging to the tribe Haplothripini are usually known as flower-feeding species, but some spe- cies within this group are related to be predators. Species of the genus Androthrips are probably all predators of gall- inducing thrips (Mound & Minaei 2007), and species of Podothrips are possibly all predators of small arthropods on various Poaceae (Mound & Minaei 2007; Okajima1978; Dang et al. 2019). But although a few species of Hap- lothrips, Karnyothrips, Leptothrips and Mesandrothrips are known as predators (Palmer & Mound 1990; Okajima 2006; Mound & Tree 2019), there is little evidence that this behaviour is widespread amongst all members of these genera. However, the feeding behaviour for some Haplothripini taxa is still unknown, especially because they are usually collected in low numbers. This is the situation for the genus Mesandrothrips, the target of the present study. Previous observations suggest that at least some of these thrips are predatory, including M. inquilinus (Priesner) which has been reported feeding on gall-inducing thrips in Asia (Priesner 1921; Ananthakrishnan & Jagadish 1969; Mound & Tree 2019). The genus Mesandrothrips was recently re-diagnosed by Mound and Tree (2019) and comprises 20 species dis- tributed in Asia and Australia (ThripsWiki 2020).This taxon was re-established including the Haplothrips-like spe- cies with three sense cones on antennal segment III and four on IV from Xylaplothrips and Haplothrips (Mound & Tree 2019; Minaei et al. 2018). In China, three species are listed in the genus ‘Xylaplothrips’, inguilinus, palmerae and pictipes (Mirab-balou et al. 2011), but then palmerae was treated as new combination to Karnyothrips (Dang et al. 2014). As part of ongoing studies on Haplothripini from China, all labelled ‘Xylaplothrips’ specimens from the authors’ collections and the National Zoological Museum of China are studied here. These specimens are now identified as four species of Mesandrothrips, including one new species and one new record from China, and a key is provided for their identification. Accepted by A. Cavalleri: 25 May 2020; published: 15 Jul. 2020 123 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Method and depositaries The descriptions, photomicrograph images and drawings are produced from slide-mounted specimens with an Olympus BX53 and drawing tube. The abbreviations used for the pronotal setae are as follows: am - anteromarginal, aa - anteroangular, ml - midlateral, epim - epimeral, pa - posteroangular. The unit of measurements is micrometre. All specimens studied here are deposited in the School of Bioscience and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Tech- nology, Hanzhong, China, with some specimens in the National Zoological Museum of China (NZMC), Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Key to Mesandrothrips species from China 1. Major setae acute at apex (Figs 1–2); fore wings without duplicated cilia (Fig. 20) .................... M. acutisetis sp.n. -. Major setae expanded at apex (Figs 3–5); fore wings with several duplicated cilia ..................................2 2. Pronotum with am setae well developed, as long as aa setae (Fig. 4) .....................................M. pictipes -. Pronotum with am setae minute, no longer than discal setae (Figs 3, 5) ...........................................3 3. Antennal segment VI brown with basal half yellow; mid- and hind tibiae brown (Fig. 19) .................. M. inquilinus -. Antennal segment VI uniformly brown; all tibiae yellow (Fig. 18) ...................................M. subterraneus Mesandrothrips acutisetis sp.n. (Figs 1, 2, 6, 10–14, 15, 16, 20) Female macroptera. Body brown (Fig. 15); Antennae uniformly brown but basal third of segment III yellow; femora brown, tibiae brown in middle part but yellow at apex and base, tarsi yellow; fore wings pale with light shading; all major setae yellowish brown. Head a little longer than wide (Fig. 1); postocular setae developed, as long as eye, pointed at apex (Fig. 1); ocel- lar triangle slightly swollen; mouth cone short and rounded. Antennae 8-segmented, III–VI with distinct pedicel, VIII slightly contract at base but not pedicellate, III with 1+2 sense cones, IV with 2+2, V and VI with 1+1 respec- tively (Fig. 6). Pronotum with no sculpture, am setae reduced to minute, aa, ml, epim and pa setae well developed and pointed at apex, pa setae the longest (Fig. 1); notopleural sutures complete; basantra developed. Fore tarsal tooth large (Figs 1, 15). Mesonotum sculptured, lateral setae acute; mesopresternum entire with narrow in the middle; metathoracic sternopleural sutures absent. Fore wings without duplicated cilia (Fig. 20), sub-basal setae acute, S3 longer than S1 and S2 (Fig. 10). Pelta slightly triangular with a pair of campaniform sensilla (Fig. 12); tergites II–VII with two pairs of wing-retaining setae (Fig. 15); tergite IX setae S1, S2 and S3 acute and shorter than tube (Fig. 13); tube 0.7 times as long as head; anal setae shorter than tube (Fig. 13). Measurements (holotype female in microns). Body length 2210. Head length 195, width across behind eyes 175; eye length 65; postocular setae 70. Antenna length 385, segments I–VIII length 30, 50, 65, 65, 55, 50, 40, 30. Pronotum length 125, width 235, aa 30, ml 60, epim 70, pa 85. Fore wing length 940, sub-basal wing setae 50, 55, 75. Tergite IX setae S1 100, S2 85, S3 75. Tube length 160, basal width 55; anal setae length 95. Male macroptera. Similar to female (Fig. 16), but postocular setae clearly longer than eye (Fig. 2); tergite IX S1 and S2 short and stout; abdominal sternites without pore plate. Measurements (in microns). Body length 1885. Head length 170, width across behind eyes 160; eye length 70; postocular setae 85. Antennae length 375, segments I–VIII length 30, 45, 65, 65, 55, 50, 40, 35. Pronotum aa 20, ml 35, epim 75, pa 95. Fore wing length 920, sub-basal setae 50, 70, 75. Tergite IX setae S1 50, S2 30, S3 95. Tube length 125; anal setae length 105. Material studied. Female holotype, China, Shaanxi Province, Changqing National Nature Reserve, Yangjia ravine, from weeds with some dried leaves, 5.Viii.2017 (JM2017325-1), L.H. Dang (in Shaanxi University of Tech- nology, SUT). Paratypes: two females and one male with same data as holotype (JM2017325-2, -3, -4) (in SUT & NZMC); one female and one male, Sichuan Province, Guangyuan City, Cangwangxia Reserve, on grass, 5.Viii.2018 (JM2018196- 7, JM2018195-4), L.H. Dang, Y. Hu & D.L. Xie (in SUT). Comments. This new species is defined as a species of Mesandrothrips because, as a species of Haplothripini, 124 · Zootaxa 4816 (1) © 2020 Magnolia Press DANG ET AL. it has of the three sense cones on antennal segment III and four on IV. It can be distinguished from the other mem- bers of this genus by having all major setae pointed (Figs 1–2) and by lacking duplicated cilia on the fore wings (Fig. 20). It is similar to M. reedi in having postocular setae and the fore wing sub-basal setae S3 acute, but this new species can be recognised by the pointed pronotal setae (which are weakly capitate in M. reedi) and by the short setal pair S1 on tergite IX, which is shorter than tube. FIGURES 1–5. Head, pronotum & fore legs: 1. M. acutisetis sp.n., female; 2. M. acutisetis sp.n., male; 3. M. inquilinus; 4. M. pictipes; 5. M. subterraneus. Mesandrothrips inquilinus (Priesner) (Figs 3, 7, 19) Haplothrips inquilinus Priesner, 1921: 4. Known as an invader of galls, this species was described originally from Indonesia and Indiain association with Fi- cus leaf galls and Pavetta galls. Mound and Tree (2019) recorded inquilinus in Java, Thailand, Singapore and Timor Leste respectively from galls on Smilax, Ficus, Polyalthia and Piper. One female and two males from Chengdu City of Sichuan Province are here recognised as inquilinus. These were found in or around leaf galls induced by a Liothrips species on Schefflera octophylla. THE GENUS MESANDROTHRIPS FROM CHINA Zootaxa 4816 (1) © 2020 Magnolia Press · 125 FIGURES 6–14. Antennae: 6. M. acutisetis sp.n.; 7. M. inquilinus; 8. M. pictipes; 9. M. subterraneus. M. acutisetis sp.n.: 10. Base of fore wing; 11. Mesopresternum; 12.